Fisherman{40 s lantern float

ABSTRACT

A float having a well in the top surface thereof for receiving the base of a lantern, and having a ballast filled cup projecting from the lower surface thereof beneath said well. A lantern placed in said well is anchored by a pair of closely spaced, parallel elastic cords secured at their opposite ends to the top wall of said float to extend across the well.

l tates Patent 1 [111 3,707,736

ass Jan.'2, 1973 1 FTSEE RMAWSlIAN'iERfiFLOAT 2,944,267 7/1960 Kurtz .9/8 R 3,568,228 3/1971 Rudelick 9/8 R [75] Bass Wham 3,374,494 3/1968 Hunley ..9 s R [73] Assignee: Bimbo Inc., Pelham, Ga. P E H I rimary xaminer arvey C. Hornsby [22] led: 1970 Assistant Examiner-Douglas D. Watts [21] APP] 32 Attorney-Bacon & Thomas [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. ..9/8.3 R [51 im. Cl. ..B63b 21/52 A 9 a a the mp 3 theregfnfm h R 8.3 E, 83 1 A 8 R receiving e ase o a antern, an aving a a ast [58] Flew of 9/8 3 filled cup projecting from the lower surface thereof beneath said well. A lantern placed in said well is [56] References Cited anchored by a pair of closely spaced, parallel elastic UNITED STATES PATENTS cords secured at their opposite ends to the top wall of said float to extend across the well. 3,071,788 1/1963 Nelson ..9/8.3 E 3,307,208 3/1967 Jacobson .9183 R 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 2 L975 3, 7 07 7 3 6 ....-.7.5. 5 INVENTOF? fa s/2r C. 5455 74 Bym H T TOP/VEYS FISHERMANS LANTERN FLOAT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to floats for carrying a lantern, and more particularly to such a float that is uniquely designed for stability and for easy mounting and removal of the lantern.

2. Description of the Prior Art There have been floats and buoys designed to carry lights or lanterns, but the majority thereof are unsuited for use by a fisherman when operating from a small boat. Whereas the need in such instances is for a simple device that can be easily placed and taken in by even a novice, commonly available floats and buoys are frequently large and bulky, unduly complicated, or simply unsuited to use by a fisherman.

There is thus a need for a lantern float that can be easily placed, and which is stable and economical to manufacture. The present invention is intended to satisfy that need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present lantern float is designed primarily for use by fishermen, and comprises upper and lower dished members made from fiberglass or the like, each having an outwardly directed peripheral flange thereon. The dished members are placed in confronting relationship, and the flanges are secured to each other in a watertight manner to form a hollow float. A U shaped resilient bumper strip is mounted over the mated flanges, and extends completely around the float.

The top wall of the upper dished member has a well formed centrally therein for receiving the base portion of a lantern, and a pair of handle brackets is secured to said top wall on diametrically opposite sides of the well. The brackets are spaced from the well, and a pair of elastic cords is stretched therebetween to pass over the well. The elastic cords are normally spaced closely together a distance substantially less than the diameter of the well, and are distended to grip the opposite sides of a lantern mounted in the well to anchor the same in place. This arrangement enables a fisherman to easily mount or remove the lantern, and yet once mounted the lantern is firmly secured in place.

The lantern float is given stability in the water by a cup formed on the bottom wall thereof to extend downwardly beneath the well, the cup being filled with mortar mix or some other permanent ballast. This arrangement of a downwardly extending ballast cup directly beneath the lantern well gives great stability to the circular float, even in fairly choppy water. A hook fixture is secured to the bottom end wall of the ballast cup, and an anchor line can be attached thereto to prevent the lantern float from drifting.

In use the present lantern float is easily handled from a small boat, and can he slipped into the water without fear of it assuming an improper orientation or becoming flooded. A lighted lantern can then be installed thereon, or if desired such can be mounted on the float before it is launched. The lantern than functions to provide light, and to draw insects which gather on the water and serve to attract fish. When the fisherman decides to return to shore, the lantern and float can be easily retrieved.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a float for a lantern that is of economical construction, and which can be easily used by anyone.

Another object is to provide a lantern float incorporating means for holding a lantern in place thereon that is easily manipulated for mounting or removing a lantern.

A further object is to provide a lantern float designed to be stable when in the water.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following Description of the Preferred Embodiment, when taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the lantern float of the invention, with the elastic cords shown distended as they are when embracing and anchoring a lantern having its base received in the well;

FIG. 2 is a detail cross-sectional view of the lantern float of FIG. 1, taken on the line 22, and shows the ballast cup;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and shows the mated peripheral flange construction and how the bumper strip is mounted thereon; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing the configuration of one of the reinforcement ribs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the lantern float of the invention is indicated at 2, and includes upper and lower confronting dished members 4 and 6, respectively. The upper member 4 includes a generally radial top wall 8 that tapers gently downwardly from the center to the rim 10 thereof, and which terminates in an outwardly flaring skirt 12 having circumferentially extending reinforcing ribs 14 formed therein. The top wall 8 has a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced reinforcing ribs 16 formed therein, and the skirt l2 terminates in an outwardly directed continuous flange 18.

Similarly, the lower member 6 includes a gently tapering, generally radially extending bottom wall 20 having an upstanding flared skirt 22 on the periphery thereof, said skirt 22 having circumferentially extending reinforcement ribs 24 thereon and terminating in an outwardly directed continuous flange 26. The upper and lower members 4 and 6 are made of fiberglass or some other suitable material, and are secured together in confronting relationship.

Referring to FIG. 3, a ring 28 coated on both sides with adhesive is placed between the confronting flanges 18 and 26, to secure the members 4 and 6 together in watertight relationship. 'Altematively, some other method for securing the flanges l8 and 26 together can be employed. The joined flanges l8 and 26 include outer, tapering portions 30 and 32 on their rear surfaces, respectively, which merge with parallel radial flange portions 34 and 36.

A generally U-shaped bumper strip 38 is received on the mated flanges l8 and 26, said strip including a body portion 40 made of soft plastic, rubber or the like, and which has a plurality of closely spaced generally U- shaped resilient metallic clips 42 embedded therein. One leg of the body portion 40 has an intumed lip 44 thereon. The strip 38 is forced onto the mated flanges l8 and 26, the tapered flange surfaces 30 and 32 facilitating such manipulation, until the lip 44 is seated on one of the radial flange surfaces 34 or 36. Thereafter the strip 38 will be retained on the mated flanges 18 and 26 by friction and the clamping force of the clips 42, and will serve as a bumper between the float 2 and a boat or other object with which it may collide.

The top wall 8 of the float 2 has a well 46 formed centrally therein, comprising a cylindrical sidewall 48, and a flat bottom wall 50 that is positioned below the mating flanges l8 and 26. The well 46 is of a size to receive and securely hold the base portion of a lantern 52, the lantern 52 being anchored in place by a pair of elastic cords 54 that are stretched between two handles 56 carried by the top wall 8.

The handles 56 are placed on diametrically opposite sides of the well 46 near the outer edge of the top wall 8, and each includes a crosspiece 58 attached to a pair of upright portions 60 that terminate in outwardly directed base flanges 62. The two crosspieces 58 lie parallel to each other, and the base flanges 62 are secured to the top wall 8 by rivets 64 or other suitable fasteners. Each crosspiece 58 has a pair of holes 66 therein spaced apart a distance equal to about onefourth the diameter of the well 46, the holes 66 being equally spaced on the opposite sides of a diametrical line passing through both crosspieces 58.

The elastic cords 54 each have wire anchors 68 on the opposite ends thereof, which are hooked into the holes 66 so that said cords normally extend across and above the well 46 in closely spaced parallel relationship. The midportions of the cords 54 are pulled apart to place the base of the lantern 52 into the well 46, and then are released so that they engage the opposite sides of the lantern as shown in the drawings. The elastic cords 54 then function to anchor the lantern 52 in place until removal thereof is desired.

The elastic cords 54 shown in the drawings are made of resilient fibers. However, it is to be understood that the phrase elastic cords might also include coil springs, a combination of one or more springs and a portion of inextensible cord, and other constructions, all of which could function like the cords 54 to anchor a lantern. By way of example only, in a typical lantern float the well 46 would have a diameter of about 6% inches and a depth of about 2% inches, the handles 56 would be spaced apart about 13% inches, and the holes 66 would be spaced apart about 1% inches.

The bottom wall of the float 2 has a downwardly extending cup 70 formed centrally thereon, which is disposed directly below the well 46 and which includes an inwardly tapering generally cylindrical sidewall 72 that terminates in a bottom end wall 74. The end wall 74 is recessed and has a hole 76 therein, through which extends the threaded shaft 78 of an eyebolt 80. A

packing washer 82 and a retainer 84 encircle the eyebolt shaft 78 and seal around the opening 76, and two spacer nuts 86 and a retainer nut 88 are placed on said shaft 78. The cu is filled with mortar mix 90 or some other suitable a last materia and the eyebolt serves as a fixture to which an anchor line 92 can be attached.

The ballast-containing cup 70 serves to stabilize the lantern float 2 when such is in the water, much in the same manner as the keel of a boat. By being placed directly beneath the well 46 the lantern 52 is made relatively stable, even in fairly rough or choppy water. The anchor line 92 is attached to an anchor (not shown), and is effective to prevent the lantern float from driftmg.

Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible.

lclaim:

1. A lantern float, comprising: upper and lower dished members secured together in confronting relationship to form a hollow float of relatively large diameter, said upper dished member including a generally radial top wall having a well formed centrally therein of a size to receive the base portion of a lantern, the diameter of said well being substantially less than the diameter of said float; bracket means secured to said top wall on diametrically opposite sides of and spaced from said well; a pair of elastic cords secured to said bracket means and stretched to extend across said well in generally parallel relationship, said cords normally being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the diameter of said well, whereby when a lantern base is disposed within said well said elastic cords will be distended and will grip the opposite sides of said lantern to anchor the same; and said lower dished member of said relatively large diameter float including a generally radial bottom wall having a downwardly extending, relatively small diameter cup formed centrally thereon beneath said well, said cup containing ballast and having a diameter less than half that of said dished members.

2. A lantern float as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket means comprises a pair of generally parallel, spaced upstanding handles secured to said top wall, each handle including a crosspiece spaced above said top wall, and the ends of said elastic cords being secured to said crosspieces.

3. A lantern float as recited in claim 1, including a fixture on the bottom end wall of said cup for attachment to an anchor cord.

4. A lantern float as recited in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower confronting dished members have mating, outwardly directed peripheral flanges thereon, said flanges being secured together in a watertight manner to form said hollow float; and a U-shaped resilient bumper strip received on said mated peripheral flanges and extending about the circumference thereof.

5. A lantern float as recited in claim 4, wherein said members are made of fiberglass material and have reinforcing ribs formed thereon. 

1. A lantern float, comprising: upper and lower dished members secured together in confronting relationship to form a hollow float of relatively large diameter, said upper dished member including a generally radial top wall having a well formed centrally therein of a size to receive the base portion of a lantern, the diameter of said well being substantially less than the diameter of said float; bracket means secured to said top wall on diametrically opposite sides of and spaced from said well; a pair of elastic cords secured to said bracket means and stretched to extend across said well in generally parallel relationship, said cords normally being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the diameter of said well, whereby when a lantern base is disposed within said well said elastic cords will be distended and will grip the opposite sidEs of said lantern to anchor the same; and said lower dished member of said relatively large diameter float including a generally radial bottom wall having a downwardly extending, relatively small diameter cup formed centrally thereon beneath said well, said cup containing ballast and having a diameter less than half that of said dished members.
 2. A lantern float as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket means comprises a pair of generally parallel, spaced upstanding handles secured to said top wall, each handle including a crosspiece spaced above said top wall, and the ends of said elastic cords being secured to said crosspieces.
 3. A lantern float as recited in claim 1, including a fixture on the bottom end wall of said cup for attachment to an anchor cord.
 4. A lantern float as recited in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower confronting dished members have mating, outwardly directed peripheral flanges thereon, said flanges being secured together in a watertight manner to form said hollow float; and a U-shaped resilient bumper strip received on said mated peripheral flanges and extending about the circumference thereof.
 5. A lantern float as recited in claim 4, wherein said members are made of fiberglass material and have reinforcing ribs formed thereon. 